The Royal Aero Club,
29/10/16.

Dear Ones All,

It is nearer two weeks than one since I last wrote home- hut I did write to both Ruth and Fred during that time.

I am so glad to hear that Jessie has been keeping you company, Mother, and also that she has been helping Father at the office. She is one of the sweetest and most lovable persons that ever lived, I think, and she would be sure to fit right in. Is she still with you? Pete Wedd, who is supposed to know all about such things tells me that the 160th have not sailed from Canada yet. They surely must be leaving soon though.

Bun Robinson got back to London about a week ago and I have seen him two or three times since. He told me of his visit to London, Ont. last month and seeing all the Walkerton boys in camp there. He confirms the good reports that I have had from home of the Bruce Batt’n They must surely be a mighty good bunch.

I finished up at Brigade Headquarters (By the way, it is called "Training-Brigade" now, not "6th Brigade) on Friday night. They gave me "long week-end leave" so I have until to-morrow night to myself and am spending my time chiefly in walking about and sleeping about ten hours out of every twenty-four. On Tues. morning I start in at Brooklands and I only hope the weather makes up its mind to be fine so that I can start flying right away. It was a bit of a wrench to tear myself away from the work that has filled practically all my time for nearly eight months, During that time the Brigade has nearly trebled in size and the staff has grown proportionately so that it is really almost a Divisional H.Q. now. When I came last March the staff consisted of the G.O.C. one Brigade Major and two Staff Captains and myself. Now there is the G.O.C. two Colonels, one Major, four Staff Captains, four Equipment Officers (of which I was senior) and four subalterns.

Some of then are mighty good fellows and they nearly all are specialists in their own departments. Public Opinion to the contrary I have found that very often there is an extraordinary amount of ability and grey matter to be found under a "brass hat" It was hardest of all to say good-bye to the General but it was worth it in a way for I’d scarcely prize the D.S.O. more than I do the few words he said when he shook hands with me.

Scandrett, one of the Toronto boys who was with me at Norwich came back on leave last week after four months at the front, with some interesting tales to tell. Da Costa another flying man from Toronto was also in to see me. He has been lucky enough to get two months leave for "urgent personal affairs" and is leaving for Canada at once. I wonder when I’ll be able to do the same thing. Ralph Jarvis who flapped over to France with me a few months ago has recently distinguished himself by winning the M.C. He has been doing consistent good work and deserves it without doubt. One effort, the one which earned the decoration- was when he attacked three Hun machines of the "L.V.G." type, chased them for ten miles and brought one of them down. He described the scrap quite casually in one of his letters to me which I sent on to Ruth.

Thanks, Father, once more for looking after my premiums for me. I’m afraid I won’t be able to send you any remittances for awhile but of course when I get my wings my pay goes up to a sovereign a day and possibly it won’t be long before that happy time comes. When the pilots go over to France they save oodles of money for there is nothing to spend it on over there. Its pretty hard to save in London though.

Well, I must close now, I suppose my next letter will be from Brooklands.

Heaps of love to each one of you, and I do hope the maid has come and that you are well, Little Mother.

Lovingly as always,
Eric.

P.S. Your last letter was censored, Father. You must be very careful hereafter not to give “any information which might be of value to the enemy." Cheer-oh!  E.